Rick Hawn ready for Braulio Estima at Shine

By Guilherme Cruz
Photo Joe Harrington/Sherdog

Undefeated after five MMA fights, Rick Hawn will be the opponent of Bráulio Estima in his debut on the rings, a fight that takes place on May 15 at Shine Fights. In a chat with TATAME, the American has shown confidence, despite the respect he has against the ground techniques of the Brazilian. “Braulio is a master at the ground game, for sure. I am training in all areas for him, not just on the ground but standing as well. I think this will be a very tactical match”, commented the American on an exclusive chat that you can check here below:

How is the training going for your debut for Shine Fights?

I have been training very hard for the fight with Estima. This is the biggest fight of my career so far and I will be in top form.

You'll face Braulio Estima, one of the best BJJ fighters of the world…

Braulio is a master at the ground game, for sure. I am training in all areas for him, not just on the ground but standing as well. I think this will be a very tactical match.

What do you expect from this fight?

He most likely will try and bring the fight to where he is most comfortable. I will be doing my best to keep it where I feel most confident. I expect a very tough fight, but I am prepared for that.

Braulio won ADCC 2009 with an impressive performance. In the finals, he submitted Andre Galvao and defeated Xande Ribeiro, two fighters that started fighting in MMA last year. Did you watch his fights?

Yes, I have seen some film on his ADCC matches. He beat some very good guys at that event. This is MMA, though, and there are a lot more factors involved that he will have to be prepared for.

Do you already have a strategy for this fight? Will you try to keep it standing?

My strategy for this fight will be to use what I do best. If it’s in the clinch or just standing, I will be looking to stay out of danger and utilize my skills.

What's the focus of your training?

I am focused on training my strengths more than anything, and just becoming an all-around better fighter.

How do you think your experience in the MMA will help in this fight?

I definitely think my experience will help me in this fight. I know that Braulio will be ready for it though. He is a very strong competitor and I'm not taking him lightly.

Where do you think a victory against Braulio puts you in the MMA world?

I think a victory over Braulio will be a great accomplishment for me and as far as where it puts me in the MMA world, I'm not really sure. I just know that I will be ready on May 15th.

http://www.tatame.com/2010/04/14/Rick-Hawn-ready-for-Braulio-Estima-at-Shine